Burn-proof cup

ABSTRACT

A burn-proof cup includes a cup body and two tabs. The cup body has a holding space inside for holding a liquid such as beverage or soup, etc. The two tabs connect with an upper circumference of the cup body and opposite to each other. The two tabs are bent to lean against the outer surface of the cup body by the lid. The tabs add a value of burn-proof effect to the cup so that the user can safely and conveniently carry the hot liquid around without worrying about being burn the hot liquid.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Patent Application is a Continuation-in-Part of patent application Ser. No. 11/212,631 filed 29 Aug. 2005, currently pending.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a burn-proof cup. In particular, this invention provides a container for holding inside a liquid such as beverage or soup. The cup is designed particularly for the users to hold in their hands, while keep them protected from being burn due to the high temperature of the liquid if the liquid is very hot.

2. Description of the Related Art

A cup is used for holding a liquid such as beverage or soup. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a conventional cup. The cup 8 has a cup body 81 with a holding space 82 inside which holds the liquid. A cup cover (not shown) can cover a top of the cup body 81 to conveniently carry the liquid around while prevent the liquid from dropping out of the cup 8.

When the conventional cup receives a hot liquid, the user always has to be watch out the hot liquid and be careful once it drops. This problem occurs especially on using a disposable plastic or paper cup which is poor in heat insulation. When the user carries around a cup with hot liquid, he or she has to tolerate the high temperature from the hot liquid inside the cup, which is very inconvenient and sometimes painful.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention is to provide a burn-proof cup having two flexible tabs on which the users' fingers put to hold the cup. Thereby, the user can be protected from being burn by high temperature from liquid inside the cup.

In order to achieve the above and other objectives, the burn-proof cup of the invention includes a cup body and two tabs. The cup body has a holding space inside. Two tabs are disposed on an outer surface of the cup body, in a manner that the two tabs connect with an upper circumference of the cup body and are opposite to each other. The connection of the tabs to the cup body is achieved respectively by a flexible connecting part. The tabs are made of flexible material such as flexible plastics or textile so that when it bends when a lid covers a top of the cup body.

The cup body further has an image layer on the outer surface thereof. The image layer can be formed integrally with the cup body by molding injection. A lid covers a top of the cup body in a manner to push the tabs to lean against the outer surface of the cup body so as to fix the location of the tabs.

The tabs effectively prevent the user from directly contacting the surface of the cup. Even though the cup holds a hot liquid, still high temperature from the hot liquid will not endanger the user when he or she holds the cup. Therefore, the tabs add values of safety and convenience in use to the cup.

For further understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following detailed description illustrating the embodiments and examples of the invention. The description is only for illustrating the invention and is not intended to be considered limiting of the scope of the claim.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings included herein provide a further understanding of the invention. A brief introduction of the drawings is as follows:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional cup;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a burn -proof cup according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a burn-proof cup according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a burn-proof cup when in use according to one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 to FIG. 8 show a process of manufacturing a cup having an image layer thereon according to one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 2 to FIG. 4, in one embodiment of the invention, a burn-proof cup has a cup body 1, two tabs 2, an image layer 3 and a cover 4. The cup body 1 has a cup bottom 11 and a cup wall 12 that extends upward from the circumference of the cup bottom 11. A holding space 13 is formed by the cup bottom 11 and the cup wall 12 and the holding space 13 has an open top, so that a liquid such as beverage and soup, etc can be put in through the open top. A strengthening ring 14 is located on a top circumference of the cup wall 12 to add structural force to top circumference of the cup wall 12.

The tabs 2 connect with the upper circumference of the cup wall 12 of the cup body 1 and are opposite to each other. The tabs 2 connect with the cup body 1 respectively via a flexible connecting part 21 and can be formed integrally with the flexible connecting part 21. Each of the tabs 2 protrudes, preferably horizontally, from the top circumference of the cup wall 12 to an outer surface of the cup wall 12 of the cup body 1. At least one of the tabs 2 has a hollow portion which forms a heat-insulation space 22. The refore, when the two tabs 2 lean against the outer surface of the cup wall 12, the space between the two tabs 2 and the cup wall 12 together with the heat-insulation space 22 provide heat insulation to prevent the heat from being quickly transmitted form the hot liquid in the cup body 1. The two tabs 2 thereby effectively prevent the user from directly contacting the surface of the cup. Even though the cup holds a hot liquid, still high temperature from the hot liquid will not endanger the user when he or she holds the cup. Therefore, the tabs add values of safety and convenience in use to the cup.

The image layer 3 is a film made of transparent plastics such as polypropenen for example. The image layer 3 has images 31 which offer aesthetical and advertising effects. The images 31 can be text, letter, patterns, and textures. The image layer 3 is formed by placing a texture 5 into a concave 61 of a female mold 6 (as shown in FIG. 5); separating the image layer 3 from the texture 5 by blowing; attaching the image layer 3 on an inner wall of the concave 61 of the female mold 6 (as shown I FIG. 6) and then removing the texture 5 from the female mold 6 and joining the female mold 6 and a male mold 7 (as shown in FIG. 7). By the means of molding injection, the image layer 3 is firmly formed on the outer surface of the cup body 1 to offer advertising and aesthetical effects.

The above molds can be the mold commonly known as molding tools in the art. The cup body 1 is molding injected in the molds by insert-molding (as shown in FIG. 8). The cup body 1 and the image layer 3 are formed by molding injection into one piece in a manner that the image layer is fixed on the outer surface of the cup body 1.

Reference is made in FIG. 4. The tabs 2 can be further positioned and secured by having the cover 4 on the top of the cup body 1. The two tabs 2 then lean against the outer surface of the cup wall 12 to form the burn-proof structure.

In the case that the holding space 13 of the cup body 1 receives a hot liquid, such as beverage or soup, the user need not to directly touch the cup body 1. Instead, the tabs 2 offers heat insulation for the user to hold the cup. As such, the cup prevents the user's hand from being burned due to high temperature from the hot liquid. It is convenient for the user to carry around the hot liquid.

The description above only illustrates specific embodiments and examples of the invention. The invention should therefore cover various modifications and variations made to the herein-described structure and operations of the invention, provided they fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the following appended claims. 

1. A burn-proof cup, comprising: a cup body having a holding space inside; and two tabs connecting with a upper circumference of the cup body and opposite to each other, wherein eat least one of the tabs has a hollow portion.
 2. The cup as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cup body and the two tabs are made of plastic and formed into one piece.
 3. The cup as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hollow portion is a heat-insulation space.
 4. The cup as claimed in claim 1, wherein a lid further covers a top of the cup body in a manner to push the tabs to lean against the outer surface of the cup body.
 5. The cup as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two tabs connect with the cup body via a flexible connecting part.
 6. The cup as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is a space between the tabs and the cup wall.
 7. The cup as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tabs are made of flexible material.
 8. The cup as claimed in claim 7, wherein the flexible material is flexible plastics or textile.
 9. A burn-proof cup, comprising: a cup body having a holding space inside; and two tabs connecting with a upper circumference of the cup body and opposite to each other, wherein eat least one of the tabs has a hollow portion; and an image layer on an outer surface of the cup body, wherein the image layer has text, patterns and textures.
 10. The cup as claimed in claim 9, wherein a lid further covers a top of the cup body in a manner to push the tabs to lean against the outer surface of the cup body.
 11. The cup as claimed in claim 9, wherein the two tabs connect with the cup body via a flexible connecting part.
 12. The cup as claimed in claim 9, wherein there is a space between the tabs and the cup wall.
 13. The cup as claimed in claim 9, wherein the tabs are made of flexible material.
 14. The cup as claimed in claim 13, wherein the flexible material is flexible plastics or textile. 